During the 1970s and early 1980s, Hema Malini she was one of the biggest stars in Bollywood and was widely regarded as one of the highest paid actresses in the industry at that time. However, in a recent podcast conversation, the veteran actor and politician dismissed that long-held claim, saying she never earned the kind of commissions today’s stars command and was never driven by money in her career choices.
Hema Malini denies being the highest paid actress in Bollywood
Addressing the perception head-on during a conversation with Hindi Rush, Hema Malini said, “No, not at all. Kisne bola yeh? (Who said that?) We used to get a very small amount. Itna kuch nahi dete the (We were not paid much). I liked the directors and producers a lot, but I never worked to earn money. The payment a little bit, that’s all.” Uska ittu bhi nahi milta tha humko (We didn’t even get a fraction of it).Reflecting on the value of her work beyond the cheque, Hema Malini added, “But uske baat hi alag hai lekin. Jo mila usmein jo hum logon ne pictures kari, that’s more income than real money. (But that’s a completely different story. Whatever we earned from the films we worked in was worth much more than the real experience and recognition). I could afford to pay was fine. Otherwise, I never asked, “Itna hi chahiye varna nahi karungi picture” (I want this amount or I won’t do the film). I never did.”
Hema Malini recalls her mother’s role in dealing with producers
The actor also credited his mother for handling all the financial negotiations during his career, revealing how little importance was placed on fees at the time. She said: “My mum was in charge of everything and was very liberal with all the producers. If a production company said, “I can’t pay much for this movie,” I’d say, “No problem.” We have never insisted on money. Whatever small envelope they gave us, we accepted it, almost like bheeksha (alms).“
About Hema Malini
Hema Malini is one of the most famous actresses in Hindi cinema, often referred to by the nickname “Dream Girl” for her work during the 1970s and 80s in films spanning romance, drama and action. Beyond acting, she is also an accomplished Bharatanatyam and Odissi dancer, and has directed and produced several film and television projects over the decades. In addition to her film career, Malini has had a long political career as a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), having been a Member of Parliament representing Mathura in the Lok Sabha. She is married to an actor Dharmendraand she is the mother of the actresses Esha Deol and Ahana Deol.